


got me out in the water so deep, tell me how you gonna breathe without me

by morallyambiguous



Series: Baby I can't help it. You keep me drowning in your love. [1]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Artemis fixes that for him, F/M, Kaldur is a self-pitying Atlantean who needs to get laid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-28
Updated: 2012-04-28
Packaged: 2017-11-04 10:59:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/393083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morallyambiguous/pseuds/morallyambiguous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Is that seriously what was keeping you from dancing with her? Because if it was I might just have to punch you for being so stupid.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	got me out in the water so deep, tell me how you gonna breathe without me

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Kaldur thinks he's doing pretty well since the whole Tula and Garth thing. He's smiling, doing great in the field and--  
> He notices how his heart skips a beat when Artemis sends a smile his way. 
> 
> Damn.
> 
> Not again.
> 
> Set a few months after. Happy ending, maybe?

Despite her sometimes prickly personality, the Team had quickly learned that Artemis was not one for respecting anyone’s personal space (then again, it seemed that few surface world teenagers accurately understood the definition of personal space). Once she had deemed the Team safe, she’d taken to invading their personal space with a frequency similar only to Wally’s.

She could often be found sprawled on laps and legs of her teammates. Kaldur was only slightly dismayed to learn that she tended to gravitate around M’gann and him.

He often found himself with a lap full of blond archer as she read, or did her homework, or even, on rare occasions, slept.

Something that she was doing now, making life uncomfortable for him. He couldn’t get up without waking her; she needed to sleep. It would be rude to wake her (manners were of utmost import in Atlantis, children learned manners before teachers ever started covering basic arithmetic).

He set down his book and rolled his shoulders to release tension. He looked down at the girl in his lap. Her face had softened in sleep, more open; the lines softened by the light smile on her face. Her hair flowed over his lap, a long wave of golden silk trailing over the edge of the couch and onto the floor. The rest of her body was curled up on the couch, and Kaldur was struck by how tiny she was, there was a good half foot between her feet and the other end of the couch. Her feet poked out from the end of the blanket that M’gann had placed over her earlier. It was mildly endearing.

She pulled her feet back up from where they were exposed. He smiled, so he didn’t have to worry about waking her up. The movement caused the edge of the blanket to slip from her shoulder. She pulled it back up, frowning slightly. The blanket strained against her hod of it, and she huffed. She opened one eye irritably, and he swore that her hair bristled slightly. She looked very much like a cat who’d just had their nap interrupted. Not that he’d ever tell her that. She realized that she wasn’t going back to sleep and opened her eyes, looking straight up at a clearly amused Kaldur.

“Did you have a nice nap?” He didn’t mean it to, but a bit of wry sarcasm leaked into his voice.

She laughed, sending him a sly smile as she sat up to stretch. His eyes involuntarily followed the long line of her back. “Yeah, but I have my suspicions that that was only because my pillow was so nice.”

He shook his head. “You’re welcome, Artemis.”

“Thanks, Kal.” She stood up, and sashayed out of the room, looking to all the world like the cat who ate the canary.

He watched her go, taking in the sway of her hips, hugged by her tight jeans, and the motion of her hair. Once she’d finally left the room he realized what he’d been doing. He stopped.

No.

No.

He was not going to do this again. Not after last time, not after Tula, no. He wouldn’t be Wally’s Garth. Wally and Artemis spent half of their time practically attached at the hip. He couldn’t do that to him, not for his own happiness, he had hated it when Tula and Garth and done it to him; he wasn’t about to break anyone’s heart. Not today, not ever.

He rubbed at his temples, a gesture he’d picked up from too many hours with Roy.

Roy.

He sighed, and flopped back down onto the couch. He knew better than everyone that Roy was still bitter about Artemis. The two got along as well as cats and dogs.

 

 

He sighed again, deeper and more exasperated. He had the worst choice in crushes.

He found himself paying closer attention in training that week. He looked away whenever Artemis or Wally turned to look at him, but he knew that he wasn’t being very subtle.

They’d gotten closer to each other since their first disastrous meeting. (Something which, before this whole disaster-in-the-masking, Kaldur had been happy about.)

He remembered the arguments—screaming matches really—that the two of them would get into, and cringed reflexively. Conner looked at him, but Kaldur shook his head. But now, he watched their spar, taking note of the weaknesses in their stances (Wally was still wide open up top, Artemis wasn’t protecting her legs _again_ ), and realized that it was hard to find one of them without the other. Wherever Artemis was, Wally was.

(No one mentioned it to Robin; it made him sulk for hours. He knew that M’gann and Conner assumed that they were hiding their relationship, just like the two of them had done (badly) early in their relationship.)

Training ended and they split off into groups to do their own thing. Conner and M’gann were going out to work on the set for the play their school was putting on, Wally and Artemis, going somewhere else in the base to talk about whatever they were whispering about (Artemis was giggling, Artemis never giggled. Something was up.) Only he and Robin were left in the training room. Robin, watched Wally leave with Artemis, and turned to start another training simulation, muttering about stupid friend-stealing archers and how things would be better if Red Arrow were their archer instead of dumb old Artemis.

Kaldur was tempted to defend Artemis (She was neither dumb, nor a friend-stealer. And, to be fair, Roy was much more dramatic than she was and had a hair-trigger temper). But Robin was scowling, so Kaldur left it alone.

He left the training room, planning on curling up on a couch in the main room and watching something that would get his mind off of Artemis. But as he passed the hallway to the bedrooms he heard Artemis giggling.

Kaldur was above eavesdropping, it was rude, beneath him, and for some reason, he always got caught (it didn’t make any sense, but it always happened, _always_ ), but he was curious. He looked around to see if anyone was watching him, even though he knew no one was, and turned down the hallway. He passed Artemis’s room, taking care to keep his footsteps quiet, and listened.

“Oh my God, Baywatch, just tell him. You’re not going to get anywhere by avoiding the problem.” It was definitely Artemis’s voice, but it was different, softer than usual.

Wally scoffed. “Oh whatever, Miss “I-Like-You-Know-Who-And-I’m-Going-To-Talk-About-Him-Constantly-But-I’m-Not-Going-To- _Do-_ Anything-About-It,” you are such a hypocrite.” Despite himself, Kaldur’s stomach dropped and he kept listening.

“Oh really? _I’m_ the hypocrite? Hello pot, my name is kettle, you’re black.”

Wally didn’t have a response. “Let’s stop. We’re not going to get anywhere this way.”

“There’s not much advice I can give you. I’m not exactly an expert on determining the sexual orientation of thirteen year-olds. Does he even have one of those, by the way?”

Kaldur had to stifle a gasp as he realized what they were talking about, _who_ they were talking about.  It’d been obvious that they were talking about boys, but now he realized that they were talking about _Robin_.

He didn’t know if it should please him or worry him that Wally was more interested in Robin than Artemis. As a team leader, he should probably be worried about how a relationship between Robin and Kid Flash would affect team dynamics, but he was the one who had fallen half in love with another teammate, so he had no leg to stand on there. He should probably be worried about Batman’s reaction, but Kaldur didn’t really care about that now. Wally wasn’t interested in Artemis. There was still someone that she had a crush on, but it obviously wasn’t anyone on the team.

He considered leaving as the conversation started up again, but the problem with eavesdropping is that once you’ve started, it’s hard to stop. He was brought out of his musings by a loud thump.

“Hey, hey, no need to push me off the bed.”

“It wasn’t funny the first time you said it, why would it be funny now?” Wally huffed.

“Here’s the deal,” He heard Artemis clear her throat. “You tell yours, I’ll tell mine.”

“Pinky promise?”

“What are you, five?”

“Shut up, Arte-bitch.”

“Stop calling me that, Kid Mouth.”

From there they descended into bickering, and Kaldur slipped away, unseen.

It was great that there wasn’t a chance that he could rip Wally’s heart out and stomp on it, but Artemis still had a crush on someone who clearly wasn’t one the team. And then there was Roy, who would most likely take it as a personal insult that Kaldur had feelings for Artemis. He rubbed his forehead. Dear Poseidon, being a teenager was frustrating.

He needed advice, perhaps an audience with his King was in order.

 

 

 

It was later, after an intimate dinner with the royal family that the opportunity presented itself.

Kaldur cleared his throat, a useless action underwater, but a comforting one none-the-less. “My Queen, if I may, may I request an audience with the King?” He was blushing, he could feel it.

Mera smiled down on him, something she was hard-pressed to do, as he was only a few inches shorter than her. There was a laugh in her voice, she probably knew exactly what Kaldur wanted to talk about. “Of course, Kaldur.” She swam away, and Kaldur could swear that she was laughing at him.

“Is something wrong, Kaldur? You don’t usually request my presence in such a manner.”

For once in his life, Kaldur wished that his King was not so straight to the point.

“Nothing is wrong, per say, I just need some… advice of a very… personal nature.” Kaldur could feel himself blushing, again, and cursed himself for it.

King Orin’s eyes took on a teasing glint. “Oh really, Kaldur, what kind of personal nature?”

Now, Kaldur was sure that King Orin knew exactly what he was talking about and was just “playing dumb,” as Wally would say. Why did everyone find his problems so amusing?

“There is a girl…”

Orin smirked. “Who? The young Martian? Zatara’s daughter? Or Green Arrow’s new protégée?”

Something in his expression must have given away the answer, because Orin chuckled. “Barry owes me $20.”

Kaldur was beginning to get tired of his King’s—no everyone’s amusement in his embarrassment, like they knew something that he didn’t. “Why are you betting on my love life anyway?”

Orin opened his mouth to answer; Kaldur shook his head. “Never mind, I do not think I want to know. Could you help me?”

Orin stopped his teasing for a moment. “What, exactly, do you need help with?”

Kaldur found himself at a slight loss for words. “I want to… court her, but after my last attempt, I’d rather have some advice on what to expect.”

Orin smiled. “Have you tried talking to her? That is generally how one gets on the good side of a woman. Perhaps asking her out on a date?”

Kaldur fixed his King with a flat look. “I am not stupid. I do not think that I am even close enough to ask, and what would I talk to her about? She is always off with M’gann or Wally, giggling about something. She’s hardly ever alone.” He disregarded his cushion status, she rarely talked, instead choosing to do something quiet (which he tended to be grateful for, as he was usually reading).

Orin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “That makes things clearer. Okay, so here’s what you need to do…”

 

 

His plans to court Artemis were interrupted the second he stepped foot into the Cave the next day by a plan to visit the new teen nightclub that M’gann and Conner’s friend’s family owned.

Kaldur tugged at his shirt. The sleeves were long and stiff and extremely uncomfortable, but Roy had said that the shirt made him look good. They were all out there, dancing, having fun; acting like carefree teenagers, everyone but him. No, he was here, sitting at a bar where they didn’t serve alcoholic beverages, and sipping his Dr. Pepper moodily. Everyone was having a great time except him: Conner and M’gann were dancing with each other, Robin and Wally were in the middle of a dance competition (Wally was losing), and Artemis was in the middle of the dance floor, dancing with whoever came her way. As soon as they’d arrived she’d been surrounded, he remembered the first one, a girl in a black dress who’d pushed him out of her way as she grabbed Artemis and twirled her.

He knew there were girls that wanted to dance with him, but he really only wanted to dance with Artemis.

“Kaldur, what the hell is wrong with you?”

He choked on his drink as he turned around and found himself face-to-face with Roy. “What are you doing here?”

Roy shrugged and sat on the stool next to him, ordering a Coke. “I was in the area, and Wally texted me to tell me to ‘come fix Kaldur, I think we broke him,’ so here I am, trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with you.”

“I am sorry, I knew you would not approve, but-“

“What are you even talking about? Look, I may not like Green Arrow’s new little stooge, and don’t tell me it isn’t her, you’re as obvious as the sky is blue, but you’re my best friend. If she makes you happy, and she better make you happy, I’m just going to have to live with it.”

Kaldur smiled. “Thank you for your blessing… I think.”

“Is that seriously what was keeping you from dancing with her? Because if it was I might just have to punch you for being so stupid.”

“Well, no, it is just that she is busy and-“

Roy slapped a hand over his mouth, tired of his defeatist attitude; dragged Kaldur to the middle of the dance floor and pushed him towards Artemis.

“Roy!”

“You’ll thank me later.”

Artemis looked at him in mild surprise. “Coming to dance now, Kaldur? I thought you were going to sit at the bar and sulk all night.” The words were harsh, but her tone was teasing.

Kaldur placed his hands on her hips, slightly unsure, before leaning in close so that he could be heard. “But that would leave you out here, all by yourself, and we could not have that, now could we?” His voice sounded a lot more sure than he felt; he tried to keep his shaking hands from betraying him.

She shivered; if he hadn’t been so close he would’ve missed it. “Less talking, more dancing.” She ground her hips back into his; he bit his lip. He was in for a long night.

But two could play at that game.

 

 

They all came home tired but happy.

Walking toward his room, there was a sort of lightness to his step. A result of spending so much time alone with Artemis.

He saw her in the middle of the Rec Room, and had to avert his eyes, to keep out the thoughts that his mind provided him of their dance.. She turned to him, smiling.

“Kaldur.”

“Artemis.”

“I had fun, did you?” She sounded like she was asking something else, but he wasn’t versed enough in the double meanings of the surface world to understand.

“Yes, I’m sorry that I took up all your time.”

“Don’t worry. I’m actually a little flattered.” She paused, biting her lip. “But I do have a question to ask you.” She was quiet for a moment, unusually so. “Do you… like me?”

Kaldur opened his mouth to deny it; not ready for rejection, not so soon after Tula, but she continued. “Because I like you, and it would be nice to know that I’m not imagining you looking at me sometimes, and-“

The words came out in a rush. “Yes, yes, I like you.”

“Well, that’s good.” She cleared her throat and regained a little of the composure that she had lost while she confessed. “Because I’ve wanted to do this since the moment I met you.”

He suddenly finds himself with arms full of archer, lips pressed to his in a way he sure is illegal until she starts using tongue and he’s fairly certain _that’s_ illegal; the way she takes his mouth like it _belongs_ to her. His hand wanders to her hair, tugging lightly at it. She makes this _sound_ that goes straight through him and he knows that if they don’t want this to go any further, they’re going to have to stop.

He pulls away, getting a good look at Artemis, flushed, lips swollen, eyes blown. He wants to continue but knows that there is a time and a place for things like that, and this is not it.

“Are you busy on Friday?”

She smiles up at him. “I am now.”


End file.
